Tuesday, July 15, 2014

While perusing an old post-Civil War music book, "The Golden Robin", I discovered a forgotten Women's Suffrage song within its covers. This was 1868, mind you."Woman's Rights, a Musical Colloquy". It was written by M. B. C. Slade,
with music by Arthur Lloyd. M. B. C. Slade was Mary Bridges Canedy
Slade ( Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, 1826 - 1882); she was an editor, a
poet, and author of many Protestant hymns, as well as a few patriotic
songs This is a very early Woman's Rights song. I find it interesting that it is presented as
a 'colloquy', with verses sung alternatively by boys and girls. The
girls get the final word. Here it is — and it's certainly a prescient piece of work! :

BOYS : I've been down to Boston, boys, To see the folks and sights.
Dear me! I heard such fuss and noise, About the Women's rights ! Now,
'tis just as plain as my old coat, That's plain as plain can be, That
when the women want to vote, They'll get no help from me!BOYS CHORUS. "Not from Joe, Not from Joe, If he knows It, Not from Joseph! No, no, no, not from Joe, not from me, I tell you no!

GIRLS : Tell us Joseph, why not I, Should vote as well as you? What Is
there. If we girls but try, We can't make out to do? Ah! but we shall
surely win the chance; And now I'll let you know, That If we don't our
cause advance, We'll vote, but not for Joe!"GIRLS CHORUS. Not for
Joe, Not for Joe, If we know It, not for Joseph; No, no, no, not for
Joe, not for you, sir, — oh! dear! no!

BOYS : See. young woman,
just look here: Your home Is your true place; You never ought from out
your sphere, To show your pretty face. Don't you see, you ought to knit
and sew, And meek and humble be ? If from your sphere you wander so,
You'll get no help from me." (BOYS CHORUS)

GIRLS: Joseph!
you can't help yourself, Our cause is speeding on; And you'll be laid
upon the shelf, When woman's rights are won. When our President Is Katy
fair, And Mary's eyes of blue, Beam sweetly from the Mayor's chair,
They'll see no place for you! (GIRLS CHORUS)

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Have you ever passed by the old stone house
where Edmund Wilson used to live up in Talcottville? The house sits
there , solid and implacable — like Wilson's literary opinions — a stone
monument to lives lived and a past that seems tangible
and rich, but just out of reach ... unless you were to open one of
Wilson's many books and especially if you were to open his memoir,
"Upstate" , which is his homage to rural New York, wherein Wilson
reveals a frustrated relationship with the countryside. It is a
love/hate relationship - but mostly love ... much like Wilson's
relationship with literature. For that relationship as it existed
between 1950 and 1965, "The Bit Between My Teeth" reveals much.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Excting news for everybody that cares about classical literature — and poetry in general. An ancient poem by Sappho has been newly discovered. This is quite a find. Congratulations to those who were involved. :

Determined that her traces be scatter'd and few, The upstart with firm belief so sure, Placed the condemn'd upon a pyre, To eradicate that poetic soul by fire. Hubris! To purify the already pure; Still, the old endures …thus refreshingly new.

Who is Professor Booknoodle?

Professor Booknoodle is an autodidactic book dealer from the early 20th century who has found that he has been inexplicably transplanted to the 21st century. The Professor has adjusted nicely. He still pursues bookselling as an avocation, and sells the occasional item. The Professor has noticed a change in the complexity of shipping. But his biggest perplexity is, in his own words, "How the deuce did I get shipped to the future?" Professor Booknoodle is the online avatar of Josiah Booknoodle, one half of the bookselling team that makes up Brothertown Books.